Are you here to IMPRESS or EXPRESS?
Today I was going through some old journals looking for inspiration because it was one of those days where my mind was feeling BLAH!
Then… I saw where I’d written (back in 2018) this question: Are you doing things to IMPRESS or to EXPRESS? WOW!!! I have no idea what the context was to this, or even what was going on when I wrote it, however, it couldn’t be more impactful for me than if I’d written it today.
As I approach my 58th birthday, I feel a sense of freedom I’ve ever felt before. It’s the kind of FREEDOM I’d heard women talking about, but never really understand exactly what they meant.
I thought only women who were really: LOVED, NEVER had any Trauma, WEALTHY (with their own 401K), NEVER mess up, EXTRA Christian, or BORN with some type of super-natural CONFIDENCE could feel like that. But, I was wrong!!!
None of those things can permanently give it to you. In fact, if you’re not careful, they can take it from you. And… as I sit here today at 57 & 5/6’s years old, reading something I wrote 8 years ago, I realized… I HAVE IT! Somewhere along this 20 year brain REwiring journey (without me knowing the time or the moment it happened) I became someone who stopped hoping to IMPRESS: the man I wanted to love me, the boss I worked for, or the people with the money & influence. I stopped wearing the “right” things, wanting the “right” friends, or wishing for the “right” car, purse, watch, or shoes. I stopped hoping my kids would love me “BEST” (if you’re a parent of children from divorce… you know what I mean). I stopped trying to be the “right” kind of Christian. You know the one… who volunteers for everything, goes to all the groups, sings all the songs'; yet doesn’t really feel close to God at all. And, I quit trying to have the “right” kind of house with all the “right” things in it… just in case the “right” people happened to stop by.
Somewhere along the way (after years & years of teaching my brain) I learned to LOVE ME! I mean really love me. With all my baggage, all my mess-ups, all my quirks and weird ways. At some unknown point, I stood fully in my Staci-space, unafraid & unaware of who I was IMPRESSING; because I was so fully immersed in EXPRESSING what an honor it is to have done the work to live a life I genuinely cherish!
Today, I would ask you: Is your MIND focused on IMPRESSING or EXPRESSING? Be honest. Then, ask yourself if you’re ready to truly LOVE the person looking back at you in the mirror. Every moment you’ve lived has been a step to be where you are at this moment. God won’t waste a single step. Your journey is unique & your process is yours. But… no one can do it for you. I’m living proof that it’s never too late to START!!
Philippians 1:6 –
Be confident of this, that he who began a work in me will carry it on to completion.
God is actively at work in your life, and He will continue to bring you through your journey without any of it being wasted.
Hugs & Happiness,
